A New Life-Take Two
by LadyLindariel
Summary: Eighteen-year-old Estella, a lonely young woman with a concealed heritage is given a new chance at living among the family she has never known. When ghosts from her past and future plague and haunt her, will she learn to push aside all feelings of despair and move forward into a new life? Written in the 1st POV from several characters. AU
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** I am attempting to write two of my major stories in the First Point of view. This is my first attempt at this, so I hope it turns out ok. I will be making some changes to this story later on and it will be in mostly Estella's, Legolas's, Thranduil's, Elrond's, and Elladan's point of view. I will let you know who's pov it is in the title and in the chapter itself. Enjoy!

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 **Estella's POV**

Seattle, WA

Tears stung my eyes. Gathering a deep breath, I threw down my coat and book bag and collapsed on my bed. Once more, I had to endure bouts of name calling and being attacked. Trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall from my eyes, I finally relented and allowed them to fall freely. In the span of my whole life, for as long as I could remember, I had always been different, and because of that I had no friends to help in school, no friends at all, in fact, save my mother.

To make matters worse, I even looked different. At first glance, nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. However, if one looked closer, they would be able to notice differences, the biggest being my ears which held a slight point to them. Not a whole lot, of course, but enough to make me self-conscious. My mother, Luiniel, also had small points to her ears as well and said it was a genetic disorder, it made me unique, and I should be proud of those differences.

Sniffing, I sat up, wishing that I belonged in another world. To be honest, I had always felt like I was from a different world. I used to tell my mother about it, but every time I did, she would become sad and tell me I needed to not talk about such things. So, eventually, I stopped, and kept it to myself or wrote my thoughts in a journal. Over the years I acquired many and ended up having to buy several boxes to place them all in.

Later that evening, I heard my mother call me for dinner. Though I wiped away my tears and washed my face, I knew I could never conceal my feelings from my mother. Honestly, I often swore she could read my thoughts.

Making my way to the kitchen, my thoughts still swirled nearly making me dizzy. Before entering, I took several deep breaths to compose myself and then walked in slowly.

"How was school?" my mother inquired, handing me two plates with which to set the table.

"It was all right, nothing really of any importance to mention," I replied, avoiding eye contact as I took the plates from my mother.

It had always just been my mom and me. I never knew my father; I did not even have a picture of him. I had asked my mom when I was younger what happened and why there were no pictures of him around. My mother told me he lived in another country far away and they had been separated before she found out she was pregnant with me. When I questioned further, she told me to drop it. Soon, I began to think my mom did not care for my father, as she hated talking about him, but at night I would often hear her crying when she though me fast asleep, and more than once I would listen to her call out his name in her sleep.

My mother raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "If it was okay, then why are you not looking at me when you talk? You always avoid eye contact when you are hiding something."

It was true, whenever something bad happened, or I was very depressed, I always avoided eye contact with my mom as she always managed to see right through me. It upset my mother to see me suffer, and I hated to see her hurt. As of late, she was becoming increasingly melancholy. I knew the reason, but as my mother was prone to outbursts of anger or despair, I avoided bringing it up.

"Mom, please, I do not want to talk about it," I snapped, immediately regretting it. Feeling guilty about my harsh words I looked up to see her shocked face. " I am sorry," I apologized. "I did not mean to snap. I hate this place. I…," I trailed off as my mom moved around the table and put her hands comfortingly on my shoulder.

"Shhh, it's okay, sweetheart. You do not have to explain anything to me. I hate seeing you hurt and I know you do not feel like you fit in here. If I could take you out of this world and to a place where you could be spared this pain, I would," my mother replied her voice trembling slightly as she gently wiped a tear from my face.

Placing a hand on top of my mom's, I noticed it was cold. Removing my hand as if receiving an electric shock, I looked up at my mother, concerned, and saw the light which usually shone in her eyes had vanished entirely. Every night as of late I would fall asleep to the sound of her mournful sobs, yearning for her father. How I wished I could take my mom's pain away from her. She was so strong, always putting her worries on the back burner to take care of me. Many times, I would feel waves of guilt for crying over trivial things while she was suffering silently to protect me.

We ate in silence that night, neither one of us talking as we were both lost in our thoughts. Once I cleared the dishes, I joined my mother in the sitting room where we watched a movie together like we did every Friday night. During the film, I noticed my mother did not laugh as she usually did. In fact, she appeared to be drifting off into her world. I could not help but feel worried something was wrong with her. After the credits had rolled, I slowly got up from the couch, kissed her goodnight and went to bed.

Later, a little after midnight, I woke up feeling panic rising within me. Getting up, I instinctively headed to my mother's room, intuitively knowing there was nothing wrong with my own. My eyes darted around looking for what could have caused me to wake, feeling a flood of relief as I did not notice anything out of place, reaching forwards to gently pull the covers back up over my mom's shoulders. It was then; I saw her lying on her side with her hands over her heart. Leaning closer, I noticed she was cold, unbreathing.

My heart dropped to my stomach, and a flood of horror rose to choke me. "Mom!?" I shook her, begging for her to wake up. "Mom! Mom! Please!" I pleaded, tears streaming from my eyes.

Suddenly, I released her shoulders and fell backward, my throat constricting tightly, dizziness washing over me as the reality of the situation struck me like a lightning bolt.

My mother was dead.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Thank you to MistressOfImladris, Tobiramamara, Tibblets, the Guest, and Alku04 for your reviews and to all who have followed and favourited this so far!

If anyone does a=have any suggestions on what they would like to see different in this, please PM me or if you do not have n account, please, leave it in a review. I will take it into consideration for future chapters :)

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 **Estella's POV**

One week passed since my mother died. One long, painful week.

I honestly still could not believe she was gone. This had to all be a nightmare or some cruel joke. As I sat on the couch, tears still staining my red cheeks, I half expected my mother to waltz through our front door and yell, "Surprise!" But she never did. As I stared down at the pathologist's report, I could feel my heart constrict as I read his notes a foul taste in my mouth.

Upon further investigation, an autopsy revealed my mother died of a heart attack. However, I knew that was not true—a broken heart, not a heart attack had claimed my mother's life, ripping her from me. No matter how hard she tried to conceal her grief from me, I knew she missed my father terribly.

I crumpled the report up and threw it across the room before leaning back against the couch covering my face with my hands. I forced myself to hold back the screams that threatened to break through, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I could no longer hold back my, anger and my grief.

Today, I had buried my mother, and now all I wanted to do was to lie down on my bed and cry. First, the father I never knew abandoned us, and now my mother was gone. It was more than I could handle.

Since I had no other relatives, social services wanted to take me and place me in a foster home, but I firmly refused telling them I would not leave my home. This was the only thing I had left, and as it held my best memories of my childhood and my mother, I would put up a fight before I allowed anyone to rip that away from me as well. Fortunately, as I was nearing my eighteenth birthday in only a few weeks and would be considered of age, social services had agreed to let me stay. I sighed heavily as I got up from the couch. I would now have to get a job to be able to afford to remain here.

No longer able to bear the silence, I went straight to my mother's room and pulled out her favorite shirt. It smelled of lavender. Inhaling the scent, I laid on the bed and cried until no more tears would come. Slowly sitting up, I blew my nose, still clutching the shirt before getting up to walk over to my mother's vanity set. I always admired the intricate carvings which ran along the sides of the mirror and table. My mom had had it specially engraved. She had told me one day when I asked, that the engravings were an ancient script from long ago.

I ran my hands along the engravings, feeling a little comforted by the motion and the familiarity of the wood. I never understood why, but whenever I touched the script, I seemed to feel relaxed, and this was no different. Opening the lid of the vanity, I began to look through my mother's necklaces, touching them gently. Suddenly, my fingers hit a small wooden rectangular box, making it slide to the edge of the vanity. I had never noticed this before. My curiosity getting the better of me, I picked it up, turning it over in my hands seeing it had the same intricate carvings on the outside as the vanity. Sitting back on the bed, I opened the box gasping.

Inside was a beautiful heart-shaped sapphire, held in place by a shimmering silver chain. From the size of the sapphire, the necklace looked like it would be heavy, but to my surprise when I picked it up, it was quite light. Shock set in as I pondered as to where my mother would have gotten such a trinket. In all my life, I had never seen her wear it.

Holding it in my hands, I felt my eyes burn again with fresh tears. As I tried to hold them back, my thoughts turned to my father, and I began to wonder why he was not here to comfort me. Anger flooded me like a flash flood during a storm.

"Why did you abandon us! If it were not for you, my mother would still be here!" I screamed, pure fury overwhelming me.

Thinking about the father I never met, I could not hold back the tears and began to sob again, crying harder than before. Flinging myself onto my side, I curled into a ball, still holding the necklace and box close to my heart, wishing with everything, that I could find my father and discover why he abandoned my mother and me. Finally exhausted from the day's events, and from crying, I fell asleep still clutching the necklace.

I had not even been asleep for more than a few minutes when I felt a slight pull. Nothing hard or painful, but enough to wake me up. At first, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, but soon I noticed a soft white light began to illuminate the room until it completely enveloped me. I did not even have a chance to scream for as quickly as it happened, the light vanished. The bed I had been lying on was empty.

I was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Thank you to MistressOfImladris, Pyro-Misa, and Shetan20, for your reviews and to all who have followed and favorited this so far!

 **Estella's POV**

I moaned in annoyance as the sound of birds chirping filled my ears. Not wanting to get up, I turned to reach my mother's pillow to try and block the noise out, but instead of a soft feather pillow, I felt something hard and cold against my face. My eyes flew open, and I looked around, finding myself lying in the dirt, surrounded by tall trees. As my eyes wandered, taking in my unfamiliar surroundings, I felt fear and confusion creep into me like a knife. I could have sworn I fell asleep on my mother's bed, but I was not in her bed. Nowhere close.

"Where am I and how did I get here?"

Slowly sitting up, I tried to remember the events of last night. After a few moments, the veil lifted from my mind, and it was at that moment I remembered the bright white light in my mother's room engulfing me and snatching me away bringing me here…wherever here was.

Feeling something hard grasped in my hand, I looked down and realized it was my mother's sapphire necklace. Not wanting to lose it in this unfamiliar place, I clasped it around my neck, where a small gold heart-shaped locket also rested. The pendant was a sweet sixteenth present which held a picture of my mom and me.

I knew I needed to figure out where I was and the only way I was going to do that was if I explored my surroundings and attempted to find someone who could help me. "I will not find anyone sitting in the dirt."

Sighing heavily, I stood up, but when I got to my feet, instantly a massive wave of nausea and dizziness, assailed my entire body. I tried to move, but everything spun like a top, and before I could lower myself back to the ground, I fell to my knees, scraping the palms of my hands. Feeling a burning sensation from where the skin was torn slightly from my hands, I cried out in pain, and closed my eyes, hoping the queasiness and vertigo would pass. After a few minutes, the dizziness finally receded, but nausea did not. As my stomach became queasier, I started to take deep breaths, trying to calm my stomach; however, my stomach had a mind of its own, and seconds later I found myself vomiting into a nearby bush.

When I finished emptying my stomach, I wiped my mouth off, still feeling a little shaky. Once I knew I would not be sick again, I attempted to stand once more, but this time slowly. After a moment or two, my mind became clear, and my stomach settled down enough for me to move forward. Slowly, I began walking into the forest, trying to figure out where I was. One thing was for sure; I certainly was not in Seattle anymore. As I continued, minutes turned into hours, and the further I walked into the forest, the more lost and confused I became. The trees all seemed the same!

"I have to find a way out of here," I nearly screamed, as the sickening feeling of being lost crept its way up my body like a vine.

Eventually, I came to a stream. It gurgled and chattered to the rushes at its side, and just as I started to cross the creek when I stopped suddenly in my tracks. Looking across the stream, I noticed the trees were black. Massive white strands billowed, tangled together in spider webs. Another thing had crossed my mind—no birds were singing now. In fact, no sound could be heard for miles around. A chill ran up my spine, and I shivered, looking away from the black woods and to the stream.

"Now what am I going to do?" Suddenly, I remembered my mother once told me if you followed a river upstream, you would be further away from civilization, but if following it downstream, you would eventually come to civilization. The only question was, which way was upstream and which way was downstream? I knew I needed to decide and soon, so I decided to go to the left, hoping I might find someone before nightfall.

About an hour or so passed and I still was not any closer to finding a town, and on top of that, I was beginning to feel my body become weaker. I had not had anything to eat since the previous night and whatever I did have for energy was somewhere behind me in a bush. I was not sure how much further I could go. The more I walked, the more my body protested, and I had to fight the urge to sit. But as I gazed around me, I knew I needed to continue for each passing second, I was not only becoming weaker, but I was also feeling disoriented. As much as I wanted to blame it on the lack of food, something inside of me was telling me, it wasn't and that I needed to keep moving.

"I have to find a way out of here," I whispered, too afraid to cry out. "Mom, I need you. I am so scared."

Just as I was beginning to think I was not going to find a way out, soft whispers filled the air, stopping me in my tracks for only a fleeting moment. At first, I thought it was just a figment of my imagination, but as I listed closer, I could hear the voices once more. Feeling a wave of relief come over me, I started to run in hope, dashing through the thick shrubs only to nearly collide into a group.

Faster than I could blink, they had strung their bows and were now surrounding me with arrows aimed right at me. Raising my hands in instinct, I stood as still as I possibly could too scared to even breathe, lest I find myself as a human pincushion. As I stood staring at them, wishing they would lower their weapons, I noticed they were wearing strange brown and green medieval tunics and leggings, and their hair was long ranging from black to silver. But it was their faces that stunned me—a wild beauty that I had never even dreamed of. My first thought was they were reenacting a play, but that thought quickly left my mind for their eyes held an expression that said they were in dead earnest, and not even the most gorgeous, talented actor could even hope to look like these people, the embodiments of wise and ancient fairness.

Trembling, my eyes suddenly fell on their ears, and my breath hitched: their ears were leaf-shaped, almost like hers. "Help me!" I cried out, holding up my hands to show I was unarmed. Fear was gripping me like a vice as I realized I had no idea if they could even understand me and even though I had shown them I meant no harm, they still had not lowered their weapons. I tried once more to make them understand me. "Please, help me, I don't mean any harm. I just want to go home."

One of the natives finally stepped forward and searched me. It was only when he was satisfied that I had no weapons on me that he gave the others a nod indicating that I was not a threat to them, and they lowered their weapons. The native who had searched me spoke to a nearby companion rapidly in a strange fluid language, that sounded like music. Leaving the group for a minute, he soon returned with someone following him. I noticed it was a male—tall, with bright blue eyes and pale gold hair. If I hadn't been so frightened, I probably would've been mesmerized by his beauty.

He must have sensed my fear, for he raised his hands with a brief smile as if trying to comfort me. He finally spoke. "My name is Legolas Thranduilion, Prince of Taur-nu-Fuin. Who are you and what is a young Elf doing wandering alone in these woods?"

I swallowed. "Taur-nu-Fuin?" I tried to repeat the word, and I knew I had mispronounced it for the others looked at me with a strange look on their faces. I suddenly did a double take when I realized he had called me an Elf. "Wait, an Elf? No, I am no Elf! My name is Estella, and I am from Seattle. I do not know how I got here," I cried throwing my hands up in the air in exasperation.

Legolas' eyes slitted and he turned back to his companions before redirecting his attention back to me. "I do not know of what you speak, _Estella_ , but you may not wander alone, here. Spiders come fierce and fear us no longer, and they will not hesitate to slay an unarmed Elf such as you. My father will welcome you."

He beckoned, and I hesitated, not sure if I should follow, but I soon realized, I did not have much of a choice, and as I started to follow him, the world began to tilt, spinning as darkness encroached over my vision. The last thing I saw before I passed out was the one known as Legolas catching me before I hit the ground.

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 ***Taur-nu-Fuin is the Elvish word for Mirkwood**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** Thank you to nanold, MistressOfImladris, Celridel, KShadeslady, Jesus' girl 4ever, victoria, and horseyyay AKA Morgoth, for your reviews and to all who have followed and favorited this so far!

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 **Legolas's POV**

As soon as I noticed the young Elf maiden, Estella begin to sway on her feet, I barely had a fraction of a second to catch her before she collapsed in my arms. I was not sure if some fell magic was at work or if it was from shock, but I knew I needed to get her to our head healer, Innor immediately. As soon as I had positioned Estella in my arms, I started for my father's Halls. "Berion, I want you and your Elves to take over for me while I take her to Innor. When you have secured the area then you may return." I turn my head to three other members of my patrol. Calithilion, Gladhedir, Ramben, you three come with me. I may need you to protect me, if we are beset by enemies." The three at once were by my side.

Berion nodded. "Maer, hîr nín."

With all haste, I made my way home with the still unconscious elleth in my arms. A thousand questions raced through my mind. _Who was she, how did she come to be in Mirkwood alone, and most importantly, how it was she did not know she was an Elf?_ As soon as I arrived at the main gates, two guards were staring at me with surprised looks on their faces. One of them was about to speak, but I stopped him before he could ask. "Not now, please open the gates. I need to get her to Innor at once." The guard stood aside and opened the gate.

Not even bothering to thank him, I hurried inside with the three members of my guard behind me. Before I even made it half-way to the healing wards, I stopped. "I can bring her the rest of the way on my own." The three bowed and left, and I brought Estella to Innor. When I got to his doors, I did not even bother knocking. Instead, I barged in to discover Innor sitting at his desk finishing up what appeared to be some reports.

Innor did not even bother looking up at me when I came in carrying the unresponsive elleth. I always seemed to have a habit of just barging in his office, and soon Innor came to recognize when it was me. "Legolas Thranduilion! What have I told you about barging into my office without knocking royalty though you may be?"

When I did not respond, Innor stopped writing long enough to look up at me. Seeing the young girl in my arms, he stood to his feet and set the quill down. "I apologize, Innor. I would have knocked, but as you can see, my hands are full," I half-joked.

Innor seemed unfazed when he saw the unconscious girl, as he led me to the healers' ward with all the calmness long years of his profession brought. "What happened, do you know?" he asked, as I laid her on a bed.

"I do not know. My patrol and I were scouting the perimeters further to the north when Salabion came back and told me there was a young elleth wandering around. When I finally got there, she began to babble on about wanting to go home to a place called Sea-adle. I asked her what she was doing in Taur-nu-Fuin alone, and she started to become more frightened–she appeared not to know she was an Elf! I eventually convinced her to let us bring her back to Adar's halls, but she only got a few steps before collapsing."

Innor seemed very concerned after hearing the strange tale. "That is odd indeed."

"Do you know what is wrong with her?" I asked growing more concerned.

Innor shook his head. "Not yet, Legolas. I need to examine her, but you need to step outside while I do."

I hesitated for a second a strange feeling of protectiveness for this mysterious elleth beginning to form. What if she woke up and panicked? It had already taken a while to convince her to follow me. If she awoke and I was not there, what then? I shook my head and decided it was best to obey Innor. After all, he was the best healer in Taur-nu-Fuin. I sighed and looked down on the still sleeping form. "Very well, but if she wakens I would have you tell me at once." Innor smiled softly and began to work on her, and I left the room but had decided to stay close to the doors, in case anything happened.

* * *

When I had first arrived at my father's halls with Estella, whispers arose, along with questions. I had instructed the three returning patrol members beforehand to try and answer any questions to the best of their abilities. Being questioned by your superiors was one thing but being interrogated by groups of giggling and gossiping ellith was another story.

On my way to the healing wards, I had passed Feren, my father's messenger. Seeing the surprised look on his face, I called over my shoulder and asked Feren to summon my father to the infirmary. Before he could respond, I had turned the corner and disappeared out of sight.

A few minutes had passed since I had left Estella alone with Innor. Ever since I laid eyes on her an unfamiliar feeling of wanting to protect her had overcome me. I was not sure if it was due to her being frightened or something else, but I knew I did not want to be away from her. As I walked the halls pondering over these thoughts, I heard soft footsteps behind me. Stopping, I looked up and saw my father standing there out of breath with a worried look on his face.

"Legolas, what is it now? When Feren told me I was needed here, I thought something happened to you!" I gently hugged my father feeling guilty for worrying him so and then quickly told him the story.

"Innor is trying right now to figure out what caused her to collapse," I finished wondering what was taking so long for him to come out.

I could see my father struggling for something to say. For many a year, my father ruled Mirkwood with nothing but his own strength and wit to protect us. He was kind but very untrusting of strangers and for a good reason. My father had stringent rules put in place to keep our people safe. One of them was not to bring strangers to his Halls without first interrogating them. While some may find that to be cruel, it was because of those laws that we had managed to remain safe for so long. I could tell by the long silence and his controlled breathing he was not happy that I had broken one of the most important laws, crowned Prince or not. Finally, my father spoke, his voice unnervingly calm.

"Legolas. What on Arda, were you thinking bringing some…strange elleth here like that? Do you even know if she is dangerous? You said so yourself; she had no idea where she was or how she got here! For all, we know she could be under some dark spell or a puppet of the Necromancer!"

As I opened my mouth to tell my father that he was thinking irrationally, a terrified scream reached our ears.

Instantly, we both ran into the room and were met with the sight of the young elleth curled up into a ball next to the wall, as if she was fending off a predator. Out of the corner of my eye, I observed Innor slowly walking toward her, speaking softly, trying to calm her down, telling her she was safe, and no one was going to hurt her.

But she did not hear any of it. "Stay away from me! Who are you and where am I?" Estella screamed, fear radiating off her. Looking frantically around the room, her eyes landed on me, and I saw her relax slightly, but not much.

I kneeled slowly and held my hand out to her. "It is all right. You are safe. Innor is our head healer. He was only trying to find out what happened to you," I said, pointing toward Innor, who stood back, having let me take over the situation.

Her eyes flickered from Innor and back to me. Then her eyes fell on my father, who was still very unsure whether it was a wise idea to have her here. "Who is that?" she whispered.

I laughed softly at the look on my father's face. "That is my father, King Thranduil. Do not worry; he will not hurt you."

Innor came and stood by my side and smiled gently. "My dear, if you will sit back on the bed, I will do my very best to try and find out what is going on."

I could see Estella growing frustrated. "I told Legolas already. My name is Estella, and nothing is wrong with me. I fell asleep on my mother's bed and woke up in a strange forest. I do not have any idea how I got here. All I want is to find a way home!"

My father finally took the liberty to speak. "Estella, is it? You claim you just woke up in the middle of Taur-nu-Fuin. That might be true; however, you also claim you have no idea how you arrived here, that you come from someplace called Sea-adle, and that you are not an Elf. I disagree with you that nothing is not wrong."

I eyed my father beginning to feel slightly angry at his words. "Father, please, be a little sympathetic. She is scared."

My father sighed and seated himself in a chair deciding that now was not the time to get into a debate over this.

Once more at hearing the word Elf, I saw Estella grow confused. "But I am not an Elf. Why do you keep calling me that?"

I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I sincerely doubt you are a _fíriel._ "

"I am…what?"

"Mortal woman."

"Yes, I am human!"

Taking a deep breath, I stood to my feet and offered her a hand. Hesitantly, she took it, and I helped her to her feet and led her to a floor-length glass. "Take a look, and you will see for yourself that you are not human." When Estella looked into the mirror, the color drained from her face and a small gasp emitted from her as she touched her delicately pointed ears and fair face. "I don't understand this," she cried out. "How can this be? I do not ever remember looking like this!"

"If you allow Innor to look you over, he might be able to determine what happened to you and then we can help you get home," I said feeling pity for her. I could tell how frightened she was, and I wanted to help her in whatever way I could. Eventually, Estella agreed to let Innor examine her and my father, and I went back outside to wait.

As we waited outside, I tried to convince my father to let her stay here. He, however, would not be so easily persuaded. "Adar, I highly doubt she is a threat. She is terrified and is in need of help."

My father scoffed. "Then we will take her to Imladris or Lothlórien and let them deal with her. But I am not yet convinced she is not dangerous, and I do not believe you are letting her so easily deceive you!"

I could not believe my ears. I understood why my father was uneasy and wanted to be cautious, but even then, he never allowed someone who was in need of our help to be sent away like that. "You are being irrational, Adar. She is a young elleth, not some Dwarf or Yrch. Let her stay, at least until she is well, and if anything does happen while she is in our care, I will be responsible for it."

After what seemed like ages, my father finally relented and agreed to let her stay, under the condition, that I would be responsible for her and her actions. I hugged my father thanking him, and while we continued to wait for Innor to come out, I sent a servant to prepare a room for Estella near my room. Perhaps if she slept closer to my chambers, the young _elleth_ would not feel as scared.

About half an hour later, Innor emerged and motioned for the two of us to follow him to his office.

"Well? What is the problem? Is it memory loss or some dark magic?" my father asked, trying not to sound inconsiderate. I forced myself to not glare at him.

Innor exhaled softly and gathered his thoughts. "No, she does not have any memory loss, but yes, some magic is involved." Seeing my father tense, he quickly continued. "Worry not, my lord. I do not believe it is dark magic. Estella is not from this world, or at least not born in Middle-earth. I believe her mother, however, was. She told me where she used to live, both she and her mother were always different from the other people, in looks." Innor paused for breath, then continued, "she does not know anything about her father, only that he was from what her mother called a different country. Her mother did not tell her anymore about her father, nor did she explain the reason why she and Estella looked different from everyone else. Her mother raised her alone. I think somehow the Valar are responsible for bringing her here. It seems she had a sort of veil of protection which kept her looking somewhat like a mortal while she was in that other world and when she arrived here it was removed." Innor took a deep breath and sat down in his chair.

I was astonished and could see that my father was as well, and it took a minute for the story to sink in. Finally, my father spoke. "What about her mother? Where is she?"

Innor frowned. "I asked her the same question, and she told me her mother died a couple of weeks ago from what the healers in their world call a heart attack. However, Estella says she believes it was from a broken heart, the result of her mother missing her father. I could not get any more information from her."

After hearing this, I noticed my father's face softened, and I could tell he began to feel sorry for the girl. He knew all too well what it was like to lose a parent, as did I. "So, what do we do? How can we help her?"

When I heard my father ask, I turned and looked at him with a look of shock. Only a few minutes ago, he was ready to send her away without so much as a second thought.

"Oh, be quiet, Legolas," he said rolling his eyes. I just smirked at him before turning my attention back to Innor.

Innor ran his fingers through his sleek hair before speaking. "The best thing you can do for her is to help her settle down and find her way in this new world. She is no doubt scared right now and probably feels confused and out of place here. Be patient with her, as she does not know of our ways nor does she speak our language. It will take time for her to feel at home here. She is still reeling from the fact she now has no mother or father."

For the first time since bringing Estella here, I found I could not speak. It took several long seconds before I managed to find his voice after hearing all this. "I will help her. I will show her around here and help her feel more comfortable in her new environment. If the Valar are indeed responsible for bringing her here, and if her parents are not originally from that world, then there must be a reason for her arriving here. Perhaps her father is still alive, and he is here, in Middle-earth, and she was brought here to find him?"

Innor nodded in agreement. "That is a good idea, Legolas. Estella seems to be more at ease around you and appears to trust you more. Also, it is possible her father could be here. She is no doubt one of the Noldor, and if her father is still on these shores, we might have a chance at finding him. For now, help her find her way around here and help her learn our language."

Agreeing to this course of action, my father gave me his blessing, and I went to get Estella. When I entered the room, Estella was lying on the bed, looking out the windows.

I could not help but feel sorry for her. I did wonder though, did her mother's fëa remain in the strange world Estella had lived in? Or had it gone to the Halls of Mandos? I hoped it was the latter.

Composing my thoughts, I finally found my voice. "Estella, you are going to stay here with my family and people. You will be staying in the royal wing, near to where my rooms are. We will also have you fitted for new clothing. I am sure there are a few dresses somewhere which will fit you, for the time being. I will take you to your rooms now so that you can bathe and eat." I walked over to her slowly and waited a few moments for the words to sink into her head. Eventually, she turned over and slowly sat up. Taking a hand in mine, I squeezed it gently. "We will find out what happened, Estella. I promise."

Estella looked at me, and for the first time since arriving in Middle-earth, she smiled. "Thank you, Legolas, for everything."

"You are welcome Estella, now let me take you to your rooms," I replied, smiling back.

Getting up, Estella followed me. If I was going to help her, then I prayed she knew she would have nothing to fear.

 *** fíriel** –Sindarin for mortal maid


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Thank you to Pyro-Misa, MistressOfImladris, and victoria for your reviews.

I know this chapter is basically the same as the original. I am working very hard to make sure I change this up so it is not a repeat of my original. I already have some changes in store for the later chapters. I hope you enjoy this all the same!

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 **Estella's POV**

A few days had now passed since my arrival at the Mirkwood Palace, and I still had no idea who anyone was aside from a few Elves.

I had already met Innor, the head healer, whom I had come to be good friends with. Innor had given me a unique herb which helped me sleep at night since nightmares about my mother's death still plagued me. He assured me they would soon pass; however, it might help if I were to open up to someone about them.

I had also met Legolas Greenleaf and quickly learned he was the crown prince of Taur-nu-Fuin, making him next in line to the throne. I was beginning to like him enough that soon I felt I could open up to him about my dreams and other problems. I knew I probably could tell him now, but I did not wish to burden him with more of my issues than I already have.

The third Elf I had already met was Legolas' father, King Thranduil, who I was not quite sure about yet. He was a very mysterious Elf who kept to himself most of the time. He seemed to delight in riches, and a wine called Dorwinion. But the first thing I quickly learned was the temper of the Elvenking. After witnessing firsthand his anger to a poor unsuspecting maiden who had accidentally dropped a glass of wine, I made a note to myself to stay away from him unless Legolas was with me. However, I did learn one positive thing about the king and that was although he did not trust people very quickly, when he did start to open up to you, it meant he cared deeply for you.

Finally, the last person I already knew was my handmaid Raiwen. Legolas insisted I needed one even though I was adamant I could take care of myself. But after Legolas kept pushing me on the matter, I finally accepted. Raiwen was a shy elleth of no older than eight hundred years. I quickly became dear friends with her, after learning that the young Elf-maid also lost her mother when she was about my age during an Orc attack. Her father had sailed West when she reached her majority, leaving his daughter to fend for herself. Fortunately, Thranduil offered her a position on his staff, helping the other maids with the royal housework.

Mist was swirling around the dampened tree trunks that morning when Raiwen broke me from my reverie. "Prince Legolas insists you get out and meet the residents here. It will not do you any good to live among us and not know your way around."

I was not entirely sure I wanted to leave my quarters, but I knew she and Legolas were right, so as I sat, soaking in a warm bath, waiting for Raiwen to come back with dresses, I allowed my mind to wander abroad until my bath water started to get cold. As I finished rinsing my hair, there was a soft knock.

"Who is it?" I asked softly, as I had learned very fast Elves had very acute hearing, something which I was still getting used to among my now perfect eyesight.

"It is I, Raiwen, my lady. May I come in?"

I hastily stepped from my bath and wrapped a soft plush towel around me. "Yes, you may come in."

Raiwen was laden with at least a dozen dresses, and other, various clothing. She laid them down neatly on my bed and smiled sweetly at me. I must have had a look of shock on my face for Raiwen softly laughed.

"These are all for me?" I asked in awe. "They are so beautiful; I have never had such nice clothing before."

Raiwen smiled gently at me. "Yes, Lady Estella, they are for you, and if you need more, Lord Legolas said all you need to do is ask." She took some bands from around her slender wrist. "These are for your hair, and," she produced a crown from her dress pocket. "A circlet as well. Since you are a royal guest, you must be treated as such."

"I do not know what to say. Thank you Raiwen." I turned back to the dresses, choosing one that was a beautiful light green with white trimming on the sleeves. When I finished getting into my gown, Raiwen helped me with my hair and then turned me around to appraise me.

"There my lady, you are perfect. Legolas will be here any minute to take you on that tour. Now if there is nothing else you will be needing, I will be on my way to help the other servants finish up laundry."

I shook my head no and smiled. "I'm fine, thank you, Raiwen."

"You are very welcome my lady. I will be back later to help you get ready for dinner. You will be eating with the royal family tonight." Raiwen left, leaving me waiting for Legolas to show up.

Sitting on my bed, I played with the pendant which had belonged to my mother. I never took it off as I felt close to my mother when I wore it. Tears sprang to my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away when I heard a soft knock on the door.

"Come in." Hearing the door open. I stood up to meet Legolas's bright blue eyes. "My lord…"

"Please, just Legolas," he cut me off gently. "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, I am, my lor...I mean Legolas," I rapidly corrected myself.

Legolas chuckled, a glint in his eyes. "Then let us be off." He held a hand out to me, and as I took it, we left. "By the way, you look beautiful my lady."

I turned her head and smirked up at Legolas. "Aha! If I cannot call you my lord, you cannot call me my lady."

Legolas laughed. "As you wish, Estella."

The first place Legolas took me was the kitchens. The first thing I noticed was the aroma of many different foods cooking. The smell was so delicious; it made my stomach grumble in anticipation for tonight. "Here are the kitchens. As you can see, the staff is busy preparing the evening meal for tonight," he said. Although he never said anything, I knew he had heard my stomach, and I felt my cheeks redden slightly in embarrassment.

Then, Legolas introduced me to a tall, slender, red-haired elleth who stopped dressing the bird she was making for dinner and bowed to Legolas. "Here is the head cook, Beririel, who makes the best fruit pie in Arda."

Beririel blushed though a smile hovered around her face. _"_ My lord, you should not make such comments _."_ The Sindarin words rolled off her tongue easily. Then she turned to me and bowed as a sign of respect. "You must be Lady Estella. Word of your arrival has spread swiftly."

I looked at Legolas for him to translate and after he had told me, I smiled blushing. "Please, just Estella," I corrected. I was finding it quite difficult to accept people treating me like royalty.

Beririel shook her head no, and Legolas explained to me while he could refer to me as Estella, the rest of Mirkwood had to refer to me as 'my lady.' I knew there was no point in arguing, so I sighed and told her it was nice to meet her.

When we left the kitchen, Legolas then took me to the pantry where the wine was kept. "Here is where the best of my father's wine is stored and where my father's personal messenger Feren, and Galion, my father's butler can be found."

No sooner had he finished speaking when two ellyn appeared. They were both dark-haired and tall, although one had his hair pulled back and had what looked like a clipboard in his hands.

"Ah," Legolas exclaimed. "As I said, they are here. I would like to introduce you to Feren and Galion. Right now, Galion is busy taking inventory to make sure my father is not short on wine. It is never a good thing if he is."

Feren and Galion bowed to us, causing me to be taken aback as I felt I did not deserve such royal treatment. Galion noticed the look on my face but chose not to comment; instead, he spoke to me warmly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. Feel free to visit us here; we can always open a bottle of the king's wine for you to taste." I laughed. I noticed Legolas shake his head at the words of his father's butler as he translated, but apparently, the prince did not mind his antics. With a few simple words, Galion made me feel welcome.

After our stop in the wine cellars, Legolas took me to the training grounds where I met Lethuin, the king's best hunter, and Cabrion, the head stable hand. Also, Haerelion, the head trainer, who Legolas informed me was the one who trained Thranduil, and himself, was there, his sword dancing in skillful lines across the sky as he seemed to be going through a challenging training routine. Some recruits were watching him from the sidelines, mesmerized by the craftsmanship he showed with the weapon. Legolas decided not to interrupt the older ellon, instead ushering me back into the palace.

When we finished taking the tour, it was time to head to the dining halls where Legolas and I would meet Thranduil for a private dinner. I never had such different variety of food which consisted of fruit, fish, bread, cheeses and what I had been told was quail they got by trading with the Men of Laketown. I had even been introduced to the Dorwinion wine Legolas told me about earlier, which was his father's favorite. It was a very rich but strong wine, and I could only take a few sips before feeling slightly affected by it.

When we finished eating the main course, dessert had been brought to us. It was the famed fruit pie Beririel made, and after only one taste, I knew why the prince so highly praised the pie.

After dinner, dessert, and an evening of socializing with Legolas and Thranduil about how I was getting along here and a little about where I had come from, I was tired, and Legolas led me back to my rooms.

"I hope you enjoyed yourself today Estella," Legolas said. "If there is anything else I can do to make you feel at home here, please tell me. Sleep well."

I smiled softly. "I did enjoy myself tonight Legolas, thank you."

Legolas smiled back and left to return to his quarters. I exhaled deeply and after changing into my nightgown got into bed. I said a prayer to my mother and fell sound asleep while holding the pendant in my hands.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** Thank you to Jesus' girl 4ever, MistressOfImladris, and Raider-K for your reviews. This is for you.

 **In this chapter, I will be telling the tale from both Estella's and Legolas' POV.**

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 **Estella's POV**

Two months went by since my mysterious arrival to Mirkwood. Since my arrival, I met many wonderful Elves and had even come to become friends with most of them. Of course, some of them I formed closer bonds with than others, mainly Prince Legolas, who I started spending a lot of my free time hanging out with when he was not away on patrol or in meetings with his father.

Raiwen was a dear friend, patient, beautiful and kind. She soon taught me to sew but spent most of her time teaching me Sindarin. It was a beautiful language, every syllable fluid, and with speakers all around me, I could soon communicate in the basics, though I still had a way to go. However, Raiwen told me soon this language would be second nature to me. I certainly hoped so, for I knew if not, I would not be able to make it very far in this world.

I also found I had grown fond of Feren and Galion who on occasion I would sneak out in the middle of the night and join them in the wine cellar where we would have a few drinks—unbeknownst to Thranduil—and they would tell me about Legolas when he was a young Elfling which I found highly amusing. Then there was Haerelion the Master of Arms who promised me when he had some spare time would teach me the basics of archery, and how to at least defend myself in case I ever needed to. I was not sure who I would need to use a sword on or shoot arrows at, but if Haerelion thought it was important, then who was I to argue?

The last inhabitants of Mirkwood in which I felt comfortable with were, Cabrion, the stable hand who started to teach me how to ride and would often take me out on personal rides as I found it significantly relaxed me when I was depressed; and Beririel, the head of the kitchen staff took it upon herself to sneak me, small sweets, once a week.

However, despite my smiling and laughing, deep down I felt more of an outcast than ever before, and depression was beginning to plague my mind more and more. As I watched the other ellyn and ellith carry on with their days—whether it was just talking or training—I would withdraw further into myself, trying to shut everyone out. No matter how much Legolas wanted to get me to open to him about my past, I never would. Many times, he tried, and I would push him away and sometimes even snap at him. On several occasions, late at night I would cry, and I knew Legolas heard me for he would have to pass my rooms to reach his, but when he would ask me about it the next day, I would change the subject or take off.

On one such day, Legolas leaned against his favorite beech tree and tried his best to coax me into talking about what upset me. I knew it would do no good to deny I was upset or that I had been crying again, for not enough concealer would be able to cover the redness around my eyes. And if that was not enough, I knew he heard my muffled crying sounds when he passed by my room the night before last—to be honest, probably the king heard them as well.

"So, then my father scolded me again for mixing up the reports," Legolas concluded and nudged me with his shoulder, "but enough talking about my problems. What is bothering you?"

I stiffened, and my eyes began to glisten. "I told you I am fine. Please, just let it be." I should have known he would try again.

Legolas reluctantly let the subject go for now, but if there was one thing I learned very quickly about him, he was very persistent and would not stop at something until he came out victorious. A trait he no doubt inherited from his father.

 **Legolas POV**

I was now becoming more worried about Estella. When I first saw her beginning to interact with the other Elves and laugh, I was sure she was well on her way to healing, but now as the days and weeks wore on, I was not so sure anymore.

 _I have got to find out what is going on with her and find some way to get her to open up_ , I thought to myself. As I tried to consider how to go about it, I remembered back to an earlier conversation I had with Innor.

"You have to handle this situation delicately, Legolas. If you push her to open up before she is ready to, you could do more harm than good," the wise healer said.

And I knew deep down he was right.

At first, I tried to heed his words, but now it was past that point. With every passing day, I grew more concerned for Estella, worried she was driving herself to destruction, something I could not allow to happen. I had witnessed too many close friends go down that road, including my father. If I could prevent the same happening to Estella, I would—even if it meant her lashing out at me. With this in mind, I made my decision. I had to find her and learn what was wrong before it was too late.

After much searching and asking around, I finally located Estella at the training grounds watching Haerelion train some recruits. When I got closer, I could not help but notice a forlorn look on her face. A look which spoke of longing to belong. It tore at my heart to see her this way.

 _There must be something that I can do to help her;_ Ithought worriedly walking up to her being careful not to startle her as I knew she was still getting used to her heightened senses. Taking a deep breath, I continued. "Estella?"

Estella jumped slightly. As she turned towards me, her eyes widened. "Legolas, what are you doing here? How did you find me?"

I frowned, greatly concerned by what met my eyes: instead of her normal dark green eyes, I noticed tired eyes which looked heavy with great sadness. This was greatly disturbing. If I could not get her to open up to me and let me help her, more than likely she would begin to fade—if she already was not. I shook the thought from my head. Now was not the time to think of such things. "I was looking for you. Raiwen said I could find you here."

I could tell Estella was confused but also suspicious. "Why were you looking for me?"

When I did not answer right away, she became frustrated. "I hope you are not here to pester me again."

I took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I know something is bothering you, Estella. You walk around acting happy but then when you think no one is watching you, you cry." I saw her eyes growing cloudy with anger, and she tried to open her mouth to argue, but I held my hands up to stop her. "Do not try and deny it. I have heard you cry in your rooms late at night. Then other times you wander off for hours at a time or sit on the sidelines watching other Elves laugh and have fun. I also know you have yet to heal from your mother's death. Please, let me help you." When I finished speaking, I waited for Estella to respond. I hoped I did not just make a terrible mistake and she would not shut me off completely.

Right then, I knew I crossed the line as tears welled up in her eyes, and she clenched her fist in a tight ball. "Legolas, I told you to let it be! Nothing is wrong with me. Why can you not just leave well enough alone! Just because you are the prince, does not give you the right to pry into everyone's business!" Angrily she leaped to her feet and ran off back towards the palace.

Her last words stung and with a curse, I took off running after Estella. I could not let things rest, not now. I had to get her to talk to me as I knew all too well what keeping emotions built up inside could do. Estella was a ticking time bomb. Not just to herself but others around her. I knew I was hot on her tracks and pushed past several other Elves who looked back puzzled wondering why I was in such a hurry that he did not even stop to apologize. Eventually, I was in earshot range. "Estella stop, please!"

Estella stopped but did not turn around. "Legolas, please just leave me alone. Please," she pleaded.

"I cannot Estella. Not now. I care too much about you, and I can tell you are hurting. Please, just talk to me. Why can you not tell me what is bothering you?" I laid a hand on her shoulder and fought the urge to pull her into a tight hug.

Estella jerked herself away from me and turned around, her eyes filling with hot tears. I was unprepared for what came next.

"Because I am scared!" She screamed out

 _Now we are getting somewhere,_ he thought. "Scared of what? You do not need to fear me."

I knew Estella had kept all this buried deep inside for years and now, unable to restrain herself, she hounded into me, her small fists beating into my chest. I did not stop her and just let her unload on me.

"I am afraid if you found out about my past you will end up being just like everyone else out there. That you will know I am different, and you will shun me and cast me out. You have no idea Legolas what it is like to be different and to never fit in anywhere. That intense loneliness just swallows your soul sending you into darkness that you can never get out of no matter how hard you try. Listening to all the jeers and taunting from everyone around you because they know you are different and can never fit in with them. You can never understand what it is like to think you finally find someone who will like you for you, and then they discover you are different, and they end up leaving. Or having a mother who you cannot talk to about the emotional and physical torment which goes on every single damn day because you know it will just hurt her. You do not know what it is like to grow up without a father and to have to hear your mother cry herself to sleep every night because she misses him so much and you cannot do anything to help her but watch her succumb to grief! You do not know the feeling of knowing instinctively you do not belong to that world and yet when you eventually find your world and discover what you are, you still do not feel like you fit in!" In the end, Estella shook violently, sobbing.

I just stood there dumbfounded. I knew Estella was hurting, but until now, I had no idea the extent of her pain. When she stopped, I just held her in my arms and let her cry until she had no more tears left to cry. Now that she finally opened up to me, she could finally begin to heal, and I swore I would be there every step of the way to help her on that journey.


	7. Chapter 7

**Legolas's POV**

It had been three days since the event in the palace yards between Estella and me. Even though Estella finally opened up to me, I knew she was far from healed. Estella still had a long journey ahead of her before being emotionally recovered.

On that beautiful summer's day, I happened to come across her at the training yards, once again watching intensely the group of archers showing off their skills to one another. Haerelion came to my father, telling him he noticed watching the warriors during drilling hours seemed to have a calming effect on her, so with his permission, Estella was allowed to visit the training grounds anytime she wished.

Estella heard me approaching and slightly tensed up, still embarrassed from her outburst days ago.

"Hello, Legolas."

I knew she did not like it when I always checked on her, but I could not help it as I was still highly concerned for her.

"I told you I would be all right. You do not need to keep checking up on me," Estella snapped. I knew she did not mean for it to come across so harsh. Realizing the curtness of her voice, Estella blushed. "Forgive me; I did not mean to sound that way."

"There is no need to apologize. However, I do feel I need to keep watch on you until you are further along in your healing. I am glad you enjoy coming out here, I too find a sense of peace when I am amongst the others as they train."

I eyed her carefully as she shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "What is the matter?"

Estella sighed heavily before she could find her voice. "I know I am far from being whole. I want nothing more than to be free from my depression and to fit in with the others here, and one way for me to get closer to completeness is if I found a way to blend in with the other Elves of Taur-nu-Fuin."

I took her hand and squeezed it gently. "Estella, you do belong. I am not sure why you feel you do not. The others here accept you completely."

Estella shook her head as she removed her hand from mine. "No, Legolas, I do not. Not yet. I might be an Elf, but I was raised among 'my kind.' I still do not know our ways, and whenever I am around others, I still feel like an oddity amongst them."

Taking a breath, she gazed at me intently. "Legolas, I wish to ask a favor of you."

I knew what she was going to ask for; for I saw that same look of longing to fit in as I had when I was growing up. I might be an Elf and had been raised amongst my kind, but as the son of the king, I often felt like an outcast among the regular Elves. For some reason, they thought since I was royal I had special treatment and did not need to feel the need to fit in. "What is it you wish to ask me?" I asked slowly.

Estella lowered her eyes for only a second before mustering the courage to speak. "I wish to learn how to fit in with the rest of the Elves here in Mirkwood. I want to learn how to fight and to survive in the wild if I ever need to. Please, will you teach me?"

Even though I knew what it was she was going to ask; it still caught me off guard. True she would want to learn; it was in her blood. However, I still did not think it wise for her to learn just yet. Not while she was still healing, besides, I did not feel it wise for her to be handling a weapon in her present state of mind.

"Estella," I started trying very hard to think of the proper words to use as to not upset or offend her. "I would love to teach you how to fight, but right now, in your present state of mind, I do not feel it is a good idea. You are still healing." As soon as I said those words, I knew I made a grave mistake, for I saw her clench her jaw, which I learned long ago was a sign she was angry.

Before I could try and remedy my mistake, Estella stood angrily to her feet and stormed off. I did not want to upset her, but I was doing this for her safety and the safety of others. An emotionally distressed person handling a weapon is never a good idea. I wanted to go after her and explain to her why and tell her once she was better I would teach her, but I thought it would be better if I let her cool down a bit first.

Kicking a loose stone, I strolled back to the palace. Why could she not understand I was only doing what I felt was in her best interest. Why did she have to get so upset all the time? I did not understand females, and the more he tried to the more I wondered if I wanted to. As I was thinking to myself, I bumped into Haerelion.

"Prince Legolas, is everything well? You seem upset."

"As a matter of fact, Haerelion I am not all right. Once again, I upset Estella. She asked me to teach her how to fight, and I told her I did not think it a good idea right now as she is still too emotionally upset. Am I wrong in thinking that?"

Haerelion smiled softly and sat on a nearby bench and motioned for me to sit next to him. "Ah Legolas, I understand your desire to want to protect Lady Estella, but perhaps you are causing more damage than good."

I was confused, but before I could ask why, Haerelion continued. "Perhaps the best way to help her is to let her learn how to handle a weapon. I seem to remember a certain prince who years ago was _very_ distraught at his mother's death and the only way he seemed to heal was when he was shooting his bow or practicing with his blades. The point is, you cannot keep coddling her or she will never heal. You must let her grow, and perhaps by teaching her to fight, she will do just that. However, if you are concerned for her safety or the safety of others, then teach her where no one is around until you feel it is safe to do so otherwise."

I took a deep breath. Maybe Haerelion was right. Perhaps I had been overprotecting Estella, and that was why she was not healing correctly. "Thank you Haerelion; I think perchance you are correct. You have been most helpful."

"You are welcome, my lord. If you need any more advice, my doors are always open. And if you should need me to help in her training, I would be more than willing to teach her."

I smiled, bowed respectfully, and walked back to my room. Upon walking in, I went to my trunk and opened it; there I found what I was looking for—a beautiful hand-carved bow which once belonged to my mother. It was a light brown with her name etched into it in elegant script. My father had given it to me when she died, and I kept it in my trunk along with other memorabilia of her and my childhood. The bow was the perfect size for Estella to learn with. Once I taught her how to shoot I would move onto teaching her how to use a blade. "One step at a time. Now to find her." Rising to my feet, I went to search for her.

After asking around for her, I found her in her room. Knocking on her door, I waited until she answered. I could tell by the aggravated tone in her voice she did not wish to speak with me and honestly, who could blame her. Slowly I opened the door and carrying a carefully wrapped parcel; I walked over to her bed.

I handed it to Estella who eyed me with considerable uncertainty. Laughing, I nodded for her to open the cloth. Slowly, Estella began to unwrap it. When she saw what it was, she gasped. "Legolas, this is beautiful!" She stroked the smooth, well-loved curve of the bow in awe then looked up at me confused. "But I thought you were not going to teach me."

"Well, I was thinking perhaps I have been cosseting you too much. I care about you and do not want to see you get hurt anymore, but now I see I might have been hurting you more than helping you. Haerelion helped me to understand that, so if you want to learn still, then I will teach you."

Scarcely able to contain herself, she beamed. "Of course, I want to, but where did you get this bow? It is so beautiful," Estella asked while running her hand over the smooth wood.

"It used to belong to my mother. Father gave it to me after she died and I want you to have it."

Estella was shocked, and I could tell a part of her did not want to accept it. "It is okay. I know my mother would have wanted you to have it.

"I am honored, and I hope I will make you proud."

"I know you will. So, when did you wish to start training?"

A grin formed on her face. "What about right now?"

"Very well my lady, then shall we?" I asked holding out my arm for her.

Estella laughed and hooked her arm through mine, and I escorted her to the training yards to practice before the other warriors arrived for training. When we arrived, Haerelion just finished setting up targets, and I led her to the closest. "Okay, so now the fun begins," I smirked, helping Estella to get into the right position.

When I was sure she was in the correct position to shoot, I let her arm go slightly but was still close enough to grab her if I needed to. "All right, now breathe in and focus on the center, and when you are confident you can hit it, let the string go."

I watched her close her eyes for a second, took a deep breath and a second later she let the arrow fly. With a _THUD,_ it hit the area right outside the center. I was impressed. "Not bad for a first try. Try again on your own this time, just like I showed you."

Estella again straightened up, pulled back the string after notching another arrow, took a deep breath and let the arrow go, this time hitting the center. For at least a good hour we practiced, with several of her arrows hitting the center and many others missing. Even so, as I watched her, I could see a change come over her. She seemed much more peaceful and happy. Perhaps I had been wrong after all in thinking she was not yet ready to learn.

For several weeks we trained, each time Estella getting better and better. During this time, I also taught her how to forage and hunt, which she caught on very quickly at. It was during this period I started showing her how to handle a blade. Estella was not as comfortable with it as she was with the bow, but she was determined to learn all she could. During one of her training sessions with the blade, she became very frustrated and stamped her foot in anger.

"Oh, I am never going to be as good as you! You are perfect at everything!"

I snorted. "I wish you would tell that to my father—trust me, Estella, I am far from perfect. I have had to learn how to fit in like you. It is not all fun and games being the son of Thranduil. Being prince, I have to learn how to be diplomatic and to run the kingdom while my father is away and trust me when I say pleasing him is not as easy as it sounds. On top of that, I have had to fight to show people they do not have to treat me differently just because I am a prince. My life has not been easy."

"I am sorry. I did not know."

"No need to apologize, I know I make it look like I have it easy but that came from hundreds of years of practice. Something which you could learn as well. I can teach you if you want."

Estella smiled. "I would love that Legolas, thank you."

I smiled back and picked up the blades. "I think we have had enough practice for one day. How about we go for a horseback ride? I know the perfect place to go when I need to relax and unwind."

"I think that is an excellent idea."

We both hurriedly changed into our riding clothes. I could sense life was indeed beginning to look better for Estella and I knew she was now well on her way to being healed.


End file.
